Clutter Hack: How (not) to shop

“Think twice before you buy. Decide before you purchase anything where you are going to keep it and what you are going to use it for. If your answers to either of these questions are vague, then you are about to purchase clutter. Desist from buying.”

Karen Kingston
"Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui"

One of the many reasons why our homes end up so full of stuff is because we have been conditioned early on to believe that ‘shopping’ is fun. Personally, I never understood that particular mantra and I believe this has saved me a lot of grief. It is a fact that whole advertising industries have been built trying to beat that particular belief into our brains. However, being infused with this idea is no excuse for accepting that ‘shop till you drop’ mentality. You are better than that and you know it!

If you find that you buy new stuff all the time that adds to the clutter in your home or – even worse – you have decluttered and find that the newly created free space is gradually filling up with newly bought things, you need to think about changing your habits from the ground up. Ask yourself why you are buying things: Because it is fun? Is it still fun when you come home and find that you have bought things you do not actually need? Is it still fun if you find you have bought something of which you already have five others? Is it fun to see your credit card bills at the end of the month, wondering where the money went? Is it fun to find that there is no cash left in your purse when you want to have a cup of coffee somewhere? Of course it is not, so let’s look for better reasons why you shop.

Is it the company you keep? Is it just fun to be out with someone and share an experience? Is it the thrill of the hunt for something special? All of these and other desires can easily be filled with other activities that do not tax your purse as much and that will not (necessarily) lead to more stuff in your home. There are some real questions you should keep in mind when you walk into a shop:

• Do I buy this because I really need it or just because I want it?
• Do I buy this because I really need it or just because it looks like a bargain?

There is a second set of questions you might want to ask yourself:

• Do I own something like this already? Where is it right now?
• Where will I put this once I get back home? Will it have a proper ‘home’?
• Will this make me truly happy or will it create additional work for me?

These are important concepts you want to explore for each new item, if you are serious about decluttering. Here’s another set of questions to ponder:

• Do I want this ‘just in case I need it sometime in the future’?
• Do I buy this because it feels good to buy something?

And even if you end up bringing things home and suddenly realise you made a mistake, more often than not you can actually return that item to the shop and get a refund. If that feels uncomfortable, get over it, because it’s your money, your home and your mind space that’s at stake!

In the end, in order to stop accumulating clutter in your home, you’ll have to change your behaviour at the root and look at the way you purchase things. Of course there are reasons to go into shops and buy things like food, cleaning stuff, clothes, etc. But these are items we actually need those to get on with life. A friend of mine told me a while ago “sometimes I go out actively looking for things to buy”. Clearly this is the wrong reason for buying anything as she goes out to buy something that has no other purpose but the act of buying. If you find yourself doing that (dig deep and be honest with yourself!), you need to look at your motivations and address the underlying reasons for shopping.

Maybe this shopping checklist will be of use to you? Ask youself these questions before deciding to buy anything:

• Do I need this, really?
  
• Do I have space for this at home?
• Can I afford to buy this?
• How and when will I use this?

If you have enjoyed reading this, you may find these other articles interesting:

• Clutter Hack: getting to know your wardrobe
  
• Valentine's Day: give an experience
  
• Electronica